This invention relates to an apparatus for regularly laying hexahedral articles in predetermined positions, and more particularly to an automatic article laying apparatus suited for automatically and continuously lining a furnace by geometrically laying hexahedral refractories of different sizes.
With the recent remarkable technological innovation, industrial furnaces have grown larger and more complex. They have introduced more continuous-operation features, and come to be operated under severer conditions. Under such circumstances, many new furnaces are built and many old furnaces relined. The furnaces cannot be constructed without refractory lining that is accomplished in two ways. A traditional method comprises laying refractory bricks in a geometrical pattern. A more modern method, developed to cope with the recent manpower shortage, uses castable refractories. General preference is given to the brick lining because of its higher reliability.
Conventionally, the brick lining work (hereinafter called brick laying) has been done by manually laying refractory bricks, one on another, that have been carried into a furnace in various ways. But this brick laying is a hard muscular labor. With high temperatures and dust, the work environment is unfavorable. In addition, the unstable demand for this work lowers the personnel efficiency. For these reasons, mechanizing and labor-saving measures have been studied. Some attempts have been made for the development of brick laying apparatus. But none of such attempts have been put to practical use. A brick laying machine should be capable of conveying and laying bricks automatically. It has to convey a brick to the laying position in good condition, put it in place smoothly without tumbling or changing its posture, and accomplish automatic brick laying. No perfect machines have been commercialized.